Bigpoint aims for Call of Duty

Heiko Hubertz, the CEO of Bigpoint, has told MCV that his company’s upcoming browser shooter Ruined could threaten the stability of the console FPS market.

“Games like Call of Duty and Halo – you wont develop the same kind of game for the web, because they have huge budgets,” he stated. “But you can target the same audience, and attract them to the browser.

“It helps that console games introduce game mechanics to players, but we can teach the other side of the industry how to monetise its players better. Take Call of Duty – it costs £40 or €60. But our users spend more than €20 a month in microtransactions, and play for six to 12 months.

“So they pay more for their time with our game than they do on buying Call of Duty or Halo just once.”

Furthermore, Hubertz is convinced that web-enabled platforms – not consoles – are the ultimate future of video games.

“In the browser we can already achieve quality on par with what 360 and PS3 can do – you can target the owners of those consoles with the browser games now,” he claims.

“Plus, those games can also be played on iPad, iPhone and Android devices. Cross platform is the big thing. You aren’t restricted for when or where you play – consoles can’t do all that. That’s an important advantage for us.”

MCV is the leading trade news and community site for all professionals working within the UK and international video games market. It reaches everyone from store manager to CEO, covering the entire industry. MCV is published by NewBay Media, which specialises in entertainment, leisure and technology markets.